The Canadian-designed "Streaker V" model swept the top 3 podium places this time out.
By Paul Gibeault
AMA Class I Mouse Race is arguably the simplest of all the book racing events. Only reed-valve .049 engines are allowed and all contestants used versions of the Cox Black Widow .049. There are no engine restrictions. This year’s winning engine was a Cox Venom. Mouse Race engines are commercially available in both Canada and the USA.
Airframe designs and materials are unrestricted, but the model must rise off the ground using at least one wheel. Props and fuel are also unrestricted. Models fly on regulation solid music-wire lines that are .010-inch thick and 42 feet long. Speeds can reach as high as 75 mph in traffic.
The 100th AMA Nats for CL Class I Mouse racing got off to a good start with excellent (if somewhat hot) weather and six entries. It soon became apparent that a number of high-ranked fliers should have been out on the practice circle earlier, working out the usual "Nats Gremlins." The Nats began on-time starting with the 50-lap heat races.
Heats 1 and 2 saw all the expert racers together, with the father-and-son team of Charles Barnes Sr. and Charles Barnes Jr. setting a blistering pace of 2:18 (just 6 seconds off the AMA record). They were followed by Mike Greb/Melvin Schutte with an excellent 2:38, and Bill Lee just behind with a respectable 2:40 for third place.
Heat 3 saw Hempel/Lee with a 3:05. Gibeault/Bischoff snuck in a quick 2:31 followed by Chuck Barnes Jr./Sn. with a 2:42.
Heat 4 saw Hempel/Lee with a 3:17, Gibeault cut out rich yielding a 3:11 with an extra stop, and Melvin Schutte/Bill Bishoff with a 2:56.
In heat 5, Chuck Barnes Jr. /Sr. retired after 37 laps with Melvin Schuette/Bill Bischoff improving to a 2:52.
Top qualifiers for the 100-lap, 2-pit-stop final were: Chuck Barnes Jr./Sn. (2:18), Paul Gibeault/ Bill Bischoff (2:31), and Mike Greb/ Melvin Schutte (2:38).
The final started well, with Paul showing the best speed but a burned plug put an end to his chances. He ended up with a (7:04) for the bronze. Mike Greb/ Melvin Schuette had been running well but also encountered pitting difficulties, ending up with the silver metal (6:52), just ahead of Paul. The Chuck Barnes Jr./Chuck Barnes Sr. team cruised on without any difficulties to win, with an excellent time of 5:26. I think this hard-fought Nats was the Barnes and Barnes team’s first national championship win. Well done, men!
Unfortunately, the Class B Team Race event that was scheduled for the afternoon was called off. Only one model was presented at start time and its pilot chose not to fly solo. No doubt, the continuation of this event will be an agenda item at this year’s NCLRA banquet.
